Gun for high and low angle firing



Aug. 17,1926. I 1,596,629

H. scHULER GUN FOR HIGH AND LOW'ANGLEFIRING Filed Nov. 25. 1924 4She/ets-Sheet 1 erwin-n ug. 17 1926. f 1,595,629.

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GUN FOR HIGH AND LOW ANGLE FIRING Filed Nov.'25, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2ug.17,192s 1,596,629

H. SCHULER GUN FOR HIGH AND LOW ANGLE FIRING Filed NOV. 25, 1924 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 17 1926.

H. SCHULER GUN FOR HIGH AND LOW ANGLE FIRING Filed Nov. 25, 1924 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

'rares HERMANN SCHULER, OF DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO rRHEINISCHEMETALLWAAREN -UND IVIASCHINENFABRIK,

GERMANY, A CORPORATION F GERMANY.

GUN FOR HIGH AND LOW ANGLE FIRING.

Application led November 25, 1924, Serial No. 752,207, and in GermanyOctober 11, 1924.

Vof elevation a low tiring position, which is obtained by the use of anaxle cranked downwards, on th-e crank of which the system, pivoted onti'unnions provided on the cradle, with the barrel and the front portionof the longitudinally ext-ended under carriage are supported. vFor useat low angles of elevation, 'the gun is, therefore, a modern barrelrecoil gun with a long trail. The traversing ot the gun barrel isleffected in the modern well-known mann-er by lateral displacement ot theVunder carriage resting on the axle. For liring within the low angle oitelevation an elevating geai'is in# serted in'known manner between thepivoted system, comprising the barrel, cradle and buffer, and the partof the under carriage which supports it and takes up the recoil. Thispart is not simply the under carriage, but a special construction, akind ot intermediate carriage, which ris arranged between the sides orthe main carriage, and when tiring at low angles of elevation maintainsits whole length in the saine position with resp-ect to the undercarriage and, therefore, also a part of this carriage rests constantlyon the wheel axle.

This intermediate carriage, which directly carries the pivote'd systemat low angle lire, is 1pivoted approximately at the centre of thelongitudinal extension ot the under lcarriage. It is itself providedwith trunnions about which it inav be swung Jfrom its posivtion iii lowangle tiring.

For high angle firing the pivoted system is first set to the limitingsmall angle ot elevation, or'example 2O degrees, by means oftheelevating gear ser *ing orthe low trajectory, and then thenon-recoilingpart, the Cradle, is rigidly coupled with the inter-"niovement to the barrel.

barrel, cradle and buffer iii the vertical plan-e about the trunnionsatA its rear and mounted in the under carriage. This arrangementensures, since the intermediate carriage and the cradle are rigidlyconnected together, that these parts cannot be relatively displaced.

y The Vintermediate carriage is of sullicieiit length to allow a freerecoil of the barrel, even at the greatest'elevations, without theprovision oit any special means for reducing the recoil. The couplingbetween the cradle carrying the barrel and the intermediate carriage forthe highfangle ring isoprovided by the elevating gear for the low angletiring, which is provided with afdevice ot vknown kind which allows thecoupling tov be released, in order that the barrel with the Cradle canbe quickly swung from the tiring position into the horizontal loadingposition, and conversely.

The two front arms of the under carriage,`

between'which is the intermediate carriage,

'to ythe lat-ter, so that both at low ano'le and at high angle firingthe rotation of the under carriage in the horizontal plane about thespade as a pivot imparts the traversing The side plates of the und-ercarriage can be made sufficiently strong to take up the recoil at highangle firing; but in order that the under carriage should be kept aslight as possible and also to relieve the carriage axle from stresses,at high angle tire' the rear portion of the under carriage lispreferably utilized as aA platform lying on the ground.

The accompanying drawings represent by way of eXampletwoconstructionsaccording to my invention.

Figure-1 shows a sid-e elevation of the gun with a transversely dividedunder fear..

lEl() riage in the horizontal position of the gun barrel g Figure ciis@corresponding plan;

Figiurer is ufside'V elevation of thefg'unnt greater velevation ot" thebarrel in the high an lel'riiig position;

' figure itis e side. elevation ot the gun sliiviiigha' modifiedconstruction with 'the gun barrel in the horizontl position.

ReterringV to Figures L to 4,- vthe l under carriage is dividedtransversely to its longitudinal dimensionsir; In* transport. end.

when used at l'oivangle firing, the Carriage W'itlrits long trail' isso. formedv that the part ai ofthe under oerri'ftge' provided with thespade is continued` forward intothe side yplates b.

rear part ai ofV the-'under carriage" by removn "the" side plitesbi withcorresponding eyes al' yso Vand:Y a2 o't'- the' rear part-1 aa' At'their 'forward ends they engage by*guidesl 631 with "the eren'kedcarriage axle 'e' end i1 4,st on this so es to Vbe transverselydisplaoeable.

B'etv-WeeI-iYtl'ie-sid-e plates' b of the under 'carriage is arrangedthe intermediate een vria'gfe f which' Yoonsistsf ofitivo cheeks per-`latl-lei` tothe side ple-test.V Itfis connected by eyes lf1 etits` rearend] endf`=eo1;.esponding pins with the side Wel'lsbso as lto be capableof swingingin a ve-iti'eel plane; the releaseblefbolt's of thejlowerYconnectingpoints'of the under Carriage al' Yengagey also" in the eyesof the side plates ybiintofcoirespondi the lovv angle' of elevation.`lrFhe sector 'nl VVis rin"engagement with elevating geeringwtz` whichis disposedftransversely Yon ,one Cheek. of the intermediate Gerrie-gef. Y

mounted the gear Olofe, second' elevating device which' isrin'engagement 'with' the toothed'vseetor 025 which isplueed on the rearportion of-one side pleite' bio-f the .under 'cerriego'.Theelevating'gear n and@2 is erf ranged to elevate theberrel Within theangle z shown in Eig'urel i which corresponds to the small anglese'levitiein,V fer exemple L up Vto 20 degrees;- and for larger angles'of "elevation Within tire: angle shown-in riiigure '3,- theseco'ndelevatiiigzgear (01 ando?) is These plates are connected-ato Yand d" rigid-fly' but eesi'l'y remove-ble with the During f breeehof thegun barrel Vin the rear end po#V *.utilizedf.V `At the angle ofelevation d the sitionrof its Vrecoilcomeselose to the Yground and thedirection of the recoil stresses passes approximately'through theelye oLof the Yintermediate carriage f into the 4under cerbeii'elvis firstraised to the vliini'tifn value (eg) oioW angle-firing and then by t egear l for me higher". ingies tiene@ the' intermediate carriage throughthe elevati' ing gear nl und n2', .end is Lfurther'elevated jegb'ogu'ttlie-pivotingpins attliefpoinjts 0 of the under carriage. L Y Y Y soV vnorder to allow. this pivoting movement ofthe systemzwhich has been,ypreviously y rigidly- Conneeted with the "under Cerri-age,

the 'forward connection of the intermediate Y carriage f'with the'sideplates otheun` der carriage isjreleased by drawing out theV Y bolts gfrom thepholes f2 ofthe intermediate VCarriage. Also', in order .torelievethee-Xle eendV tlieside plates b of the underem-l riego from .therecoil stressesvathigh angle,

lire, theigoonneotio'nf between the 'front and theV rearV part "of theunder carriage is' re- Y A leased, andV theflatter isfthen utilized aseplatform lying fon'the ground kfor the` system comprising.theberrelyoredle with bu'ing device, end intermediate Cauria'ge.

, TheY 'intermediate carriage #with the eyes" f1 et its reeraendend' thelower eyes blo-f lthe sideplates.'25 isveonn'ected zit-the. upper eyesa2' to tliei'eer'portio'n 'of the "undertar-u ioo Lriage whichAliesfletjV onv thegrotmd.'V The y eyes'f1 for the pinsgof theintermediate earri'ege and the side plates bgmintein apf i.pr-orzrimetely theposition which they had at low angle iringeiidtheVelevationsthe 'barrel vis not altered; I lie system compris ing thebarrel andthe oraidlefwith the buf- Y Yfer and intermediate carriage eenbe swung b'yrneensjof-the elevating gear 0Vl ,to o? ebout tliepi-ns ofvthe` sogforine'd1 new connecting 'plecesfc (Figure $0.3'l j Y Y .jVedgevmembersY z.V AwhichV areV connected et,

v'high `angle Yfire atthe;Conneetingfpoints C to the` eyes 62, thesfi-deplates bend'eyes as on 'the part zfotthepunder carriage forniVrigid*connection bet/veen the side ple-tes t" l f f and theJp-irta:These We On the intermed ate'v carriage there is also;

'the under carriage endyfor this purpose, vtli'ei-reyes areconneotedtotheipoints "c and:

'dvzind et to the under Carriage; YSince the centre of gravity rof Ythesvstenif pivot'ed about Ythe f trunnions both vet 'low angle and highangle tir-ing lies eonsid'ereb;1y before this-pivot, compensating.dev-ieee' are Vpro-V `r`jided Wliieh relievetlie elevating gege?, 7. Y--the pressi-1reof thepivoted.-magslsesl1 Y j The tine traversingladjustment is imparted to the gun by a traversing gear, which is notshown in the drawing, and whichk in known manner laterally displaces thecarriage on the carriage axle.

The elevating` gear nl to n2 for low angles of elevation, which tor highangle fire rigidly couples the cradle with the intermediate carriage f,is provided with a known device, which is not shown and which allowsthis coupling to be released so that the barrel asa plat-form resting onthe ground. The gun barrel is guided on the cradle t vwhich by itshorizontal trunnions n during transport and at low angle tiring ispivoted in the bearings al in the front partot the walls of the carriagea. The intermediate carriage f inserted between the barrel and the sideplates a at the front eyes f2. of its side cheeks providebearings forthe trunnions m and is pivoted by the horizontal trunnions f1 at itsrear end in the portion of the under carriage which is bent downwards.

The arrangement and action ot the elevating gear is the sameas in theconstruction previously described. In transport and low angle tiring thereadily withdrawn bolts g are inserted in the bearings al of the platesot the under carriage a. After the bolts c/ have been drawn out, thebarrel can be raised for the large angles of elevation, the systemcomprising the barrel, cradle and buffer being rigidly coupled by theelevating gear 01 to o2 with the intermediate carriage f so that it canbe swung upwards about the trunnions f1 pivote-d in the under carriage.The recoil stresses are taken up by the rear portion of the undercarriage serving as a platform.

I claim l. A high and low angle tiring gun comprising an under carriagehaving a pair ot removable Side plates extending to a carriage axle; anintermediate carriage associated with said under carriage; a gun pivoted'in the intermediate carriage; means on the intermediate carriage forelevating the gun for low angle tiring; means on'the under carriage forelevating the intermediate carriage and the gun for high angle firing;and means for interconnecting said carriages so that upon high anglefiring the under carriage will act as a platform.

2. A high and low angle firing vgun comprising an under carriage havingfront and rear parts; a gunv pivoted in the carriage; and filling piecesfor interconnecting the front and rear parts ot the under carriage.

3. A high and low angle firing gun comprising an under carriage having`front and rear parts; an intermediateV carriage asso` ciated with saidunder car 1iage; a gun pivot,- ed in the. intermediate carriage; andiilling pieces connecting the intermediate carriage at low angle tiringwith the rear part ot the under carriage.

4i. A high and low angle firing gun comprising an under carriage havingfront and rear parts; an intermediate carriage associated with saidunder carriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; and fillingpieces connecting the rear part of thennder v carriage at high angletiring with the. front part ot the under carriage.

5. A high and low angle firing gun com',- prisingan under carriagehaving front and rear parts; an intermediate carriage associated withsaid under carriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; andfilling pieces connecting theV front and rear parts ot the undercarriage together, said pieces being adapted to connect the intermediatecarriage with the rear part of the under carriage at low angle firingand to connect the rear part of the under carriage with the front partot' the under carriage at high angle tiring.

6. A high and low angle tiring gun comprising an under carriage havingfront and rear parts; an intermediate carriage associated with saidunder carriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; means on theintermediate carriage for elevating the gun for low angle firing; meanson the under carriage for elevating the intermediate carriage tor highangle'iring; and filling pieces connecting the front and rear parts ofthe under carriage together, said pieces being adapted to connect theintermediate carriage with .the rear part of the under carriage at lowangle tiring and to connect the rear part of the under carriage with thefront part -of the under carriage at high angle tiring. Y

7. AY high and low angle tiring gun comprising an under carriage havingfront kand rear parts; an intermediate carriage associated with oted inthe intermediate carriage; a toothed sector and elevating gearassociated with the intermediate carriage for elevating the gun for lowangletiring; a toothed sector and elevating gear associated with theunder .carriage for elevating theintermediate carriage for high anglefiring; and filling pieces connecting the iront and rear. parts 'of theunder carriage together, said pieces being adapted to Aconnect theintermediate Vcarriage with the rear part of the under saidunder-carriage; a gun pivvcarriageatl lon7 angle firingand to connectthe' rear partvfofth'efunder carriage., With the front part olf* theunder carriage high anglefiring. Y p. Y

' 8. A high and lowangle ring: gun comrisinrrr an runder ea-rriafreYhavinfT `iront and ED Y `vrear parte; an intermedi'atev carriage lasso'-Ciated with said under carriage; Va gun'pivoted inthe intermediateoarrlage;v and means `'adapted to connect the intermediate earriage withthe rear'part ofthe under oarriage at low angler firing and to Connect:the

A rear part 'of the .ander Ycarriage with the front partv of th'ennderoarriagerat high an gle firing;

9.4A high andlow'L angle iiringgun oomrismv! an under-earriave Vliavmffront and b D C rear parte; an intermediate carriage/' aseo?"Y oiatedwithJsa-id 'under carriage; a gunV piv-` oted in theintermedia-tecarriage g and means for AConnecting eaid'oarri'ages sothat upon actasa platform;Y f

1051A highl and low angle tiring gun oomprisingan under carriage havingfront and rear partsgan intermediate earriageassdV elated Withsaid'under Carriage; a gun: piv-` oted in' the intermediate carriage;V andmeansv Connecting' the, `front and rear parts*V .'ofthe, under carriagetogether, said lmeans being adaptedr'to connect the intermediateCarriage Withthe rear part of the Vunderv and an elevating gear for thegun for elevating the gan for low angle firing, said elevate ing gearformingy acoupling between the cradle' and ,the intermediate oarriagefor high angle Iiring. y

l2. A high and lowangle tiring'gun com? prising an underYcarriage"havingfront and rear parts; anV intermediate `Y carriage'associated with' Said under carriage; a Vgiina'nd cradle pivoted inthe' intermediate. carriage, said cradle comprising th-e'hiifing'v'andrunning. out gear kfor the gun; Yan elevating gear for the gun forelevatingthe gunfor lx'v angle vfiring, Vsaid 'elevating' gear formr inga: eoupli'ng" between theferadle and the intermediate( Vcarriage for'high.V angle firing; and meansA connecting the front and rear parts'oftheV anderY earriagetogether, saidlmeans being 'adapted to"feonne`etthe intermediate "carriage with the' rear'parlgrtj( )f V the ander'Carriage at' 10W' angle-irl'l'lg*a3-nd hiah .angle iii-ingA the 'underVcarriage will` lgseegee to eonnectf ther rearv par-t of' the underCarriage with thexfro'nt part of the unoler'ear-` riage high angle`tiring; n

" l' high and low angle Vvfiring gunoomprising-'aniinder Carriage havingfront and `Y reary parts; an"inter'mediatey carriage associated'V withsaid under Carriage ya' 'gunVV piv-V Y yotediii the'intermediatecarriage;anfelevat-v ving-gearfor the gan' tor elevating the gun! ier:low'Y angle firing, Said elevating gear forming! a. coupling betweenthej 'guniand' the 'intermediate j' earria ge for high angle' irinfggand means connecting the frontl `and rear `partskoi lthe under carriagetogether,V i

Said meansnbeing adapted to eonneotthe intermediateoarria'ge with therear. part Yof theiinder oa'rrlageat loW angle rlng Yand to;conneetffthel'rear part of` the 'underi'card'1 riage'v Withztheffront.part of t-he under ear- Y riageat highangle (firing.

1 14. "Aihigh and low angle` firing.V ganeomri'sinff ani under.Vcarriadie` havin Jfront and rear parts;v anintermedfiate*Carriage,a'SSO- eiate'd; witli 'said `"under oarriage; a 1 gn piV-QVrotedin the'intermediate carriage; means on Ithe underfoarriage ,forelevating.y the intenmediat'eoarriage for 'high' angle firing; and'means fer elevating the gunfforlow angle firing, said last-named jmeansiiorming ai',Y

eonpling between?. the gun and the intermediater carriage for' highanglejiiring.

' 15. :A high and low angle firing gun comprising an underearriage'havmg frontand rear parte; an intermediate.earriageassof elatedwith Saidfun'der carriage; a gun pivoted in ther intermediate fCarriage; means' on the under k'oarriagefor elevating t'hefi'n#Vtermediate carriage' for 'high angle firing;Y

means for elevating-fthe gun for. low'an lei;

liring, said Vmeans forming afeoupling etiveen the giin'andV theintermediate carriage for high anglepiring; andV means. connecting the`front and rear parts `of the under ear-V` Yriage "together,A saidlast-named 'means 'be- :ing adapted to connect the intermediateearriage, at lon'r angle iringand to Connect the rear. part ofthe undercarriage VWithfthe frontypart of the under'earriage at highangle'tiring.;V Y f( w l 16. A high vand 10W angle firing gun o'omfprising an ander oarriagejhaving front and rear parts;Y an.intermediate'carriage asso-Y eiatedfwith saldvunde'r Carriage; a gunpiv'- Y oted in the intermediatef'earriage; an ele'-V v'ating gear onthe front part of the under carriage for elevating fthe' intermediateearriage for high angle ring; an elevating gear for velevating the, ganfor 10W angle fring'said-'lastenamd lgear#forming affooujfV f plin'gbetween vthe gun fand the intermediate carriage-'for high angle firing;nand filling pieces ',eonneeting the parts; Yof" the 'carriagesfo'getl1er,"said 'pieo'es being adapted to con# neetlthe intermediateCarriage 'with the-'rear ing and to connect the rear part of the undercarriage with the front part of the under carriage at high angie iiring.

17. A high and 10W angie firing gun comprising an under carriage having`irontV and rear parts; an intermediate carriage associated with saidunder carriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; and meansfor connecting the front and rear partsrof the under carriage together,said means comprising the pivot point for" the intermediate carriage. y

18. A'high and low angle iring gun comprising an under carriage havingfront and rear parts; an intermediate carriage pivoted in the undercarriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; and means forconnecting the front and rear parts of the under carriage together, saidmeans comprising the pivot point for the intermediate carriage.

19. A high and 10W angie firing gun comprising an under carriage havingfront and 'rear parts; an intermediate carriage pivoted in the undercarriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; and means forconnecting the front and rear parts of the under carriage together forhigh angle iiring, said means comprising the pivot point for theintermediate carriage.

20. A high and 10W angle tiring gun comprising an under carriage havingfront and rear parts; an intermediate carriage pivoted in the undercarriage; a gun pivoted in the intermediate carriage; andA means forconnecting the front and rear parts of the under carriage together forhigh angle firing, said means comprising the pivot point ttor theintermediate carriage and being adapted to connect the intermediatecarriage'.

with the rear part of the under carriage for W angle firing.

21. A high and 10W angle firing gun com- Y gun pivoted in theintermediate carriage;`

and an interconnection between the parte of the under carriage so thatthe rear 'part of the-under carriage Will act as a plat-form upon highangle iring, said means forming the pivot point of the intermedia-teCarriage.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature.

HERMANN SCHULER.

